When did Connecticut become a state?

Connecticut, one of the original 13 colonies, became a state on Jan. 9, 1788. It was the fifth of the colonies to become a state.

The state's name is from the Mohian and Algonquin Native American word "quonehtacut," which means "land on the long tidal river." The Connecticut River traverses the state from north to south and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. One of the smallest states in terms of land area, Connecticut ranks 48th in size. The state is only 110 miles at its greatest width and about 70 miles at its greatest length. The state is densely populated, though, and ranks as the 29th-most-populous state in the United States.